Elijah and the Widow's Son

Information

In 1863 Brown was commissioned by the Brothers Dalziel to produce three illustrations for a Bible to which many other famous artists of the day were also contributing. This story of a mother whose son is raised from the dead by the prophet Elijah was one of the subjects selected by Brown from a list of possible themes submitted to him by the Brothers.Having designed the illustration 'Elijah and the Widow's Son' Brown worked up the composition into three paintings. The dealer Gambart bought a small watercolour version, which he later sold to Frederick Leyland (present owner unknown). Frederick Craven of Manchester, a watercolour collector, commissioned a larger version in 1868 (V&A). The painting in the Birmingham collection is the only one in oil and was commissioned in 1864 by a Brighton wine merchant, James Trist, for 100gns. Trist was so pleased with it that he later sent Brown a case of wine. LM